Jose Mourinho has revealed that ‘a simple phone call’ to Marouane Fellaini is behind the Belgium midfielder’s flying start to the season at Manchester United.

Fellaini revived his Old Trafford career under Louis van Gaal after being made a scapegoat for the failings of his old Everton boss David Moyes, but he was still expected to be sold when Mourinho took over this summer.

Instead, he has played every minute of United’s opening three wins in the Community Shield and Premier League, and earned rich praise from Mourinho for his role in the 2-0 victory over Southampton on Friday night.

Asked what has brought about Fellaini’s upturn in fortunes, Mourinho said that he had phoned the player after he was appointed to reassure him that he had a future at United and to made him feel ‘loved’.

‘Maybe a simple phone call can make a difference,’ said Mourinho. ‘A player that was feeling not loved. A player that when the market opened, everybody was saying he was leaving and was not a player for me.

‘Maybe a simple phone call the day after my presentation as Manchester United manager changed a lot because I told him “forget everything you read – for me, you don’t leave for sure”.

Former Everton midfielder Fellaini has played every minute of United’s opening three wins

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Jose Mourinho contacted Fellaini the day after his appointment to re-assure the Belgian

‘Then I think the more organised the team play, the easier for the players to feel confident. He is playing well, with (Michael) Carrick, with (Ander) Herrera, with Paul (Pogba).’

However, Mourinho admitted regret that he cannot give the other players in his squad more game-time, and cannot wait for next month when he will have more opportunity in the Europa League and Capital One Cup.

He added: ‘I have so many good players. I was sad for all the players in their suits – Carrick, Memphis (Depay, (Phil) Jones that I don’t select.

A brace of goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic secured a 2-0 victory for United on Friday night

‘I need September because the relations can be good, the players can be great professionals, but a player is a player. When he doesn’t play one game, two, three the frustration comes and it is difficult to train well. And when they don’t train well I have a reason not to select and they go downhill. So I need September – (Timothy) Fosu-Mensah, (Marcos) Rojo, Carrick, (Morgan) Schneiderlin, Depay, (Marcus) Rashford, we have a big top-quality squad.

‘I am desperate for September to arrive because there is the Capital One Cup and the Europa League and they will all get what they deserve and that is to play.’

Record-signing Paul Pogba made an impressive Premier League debut against the Saints